Poverty

Give us the money

The two Irish musicians Bob Geldof and Bono are renowned for their music as well as for the initiation of the charity concerts „Live-Aid“ and „Band-Aid“ and their associated efforts against the global spread of poverty. However, have they really been able to free millions of people from their lives in absolute poverty through their campaigns and concerts?

Task

Watch the following documentary film and try to answer the questions afterwards.

• Does the film touch you emotionally? How do you feel after you have watched the film?
• State the main messages of the film in two sentences.
• Which topics are dealt with in the film?
• Are the facts presented more objectively or subjectively?
• What is Bob Geldof and Bono’s aim at the beginning of the film and how does this change in the course of the film?
• What effect do news images about famine - such as those recently in the Horn of Africa – have on you? Can you understand Bob Geldof's moods - disgusted, ashamed, angry and upset? What problem does Dambisa Moyo name in connection with these pictures?
• Which strategies do the musicians employ to gain attention among the general public and among politicians?
• What reasons are given in the film for the emergence and persistence of poverty?
• What did Bob Geldof and Bono achieve through their efforts?
• In what way are the musicians criticized for their efforts?
• Which moment does Bono describe as bizarre in the film?
• What does the producer, Bosse Lindquist, want to achieve with this film?